I seem to always be searching for a pen, pencil or paint brush and can never find one cause they’re scattered all over the house. I already have a mesh pencil holder by my computer, but for some reason it never has any pens. It’s full of sharpies, highlighters, a nail file and markers. None of which I ever use!

I need to divide and conquer this pen situation. My plan is to separate pens/pencils/markers, paint brushes, colored pencils and foam brushes into separate containers. That way everything will be easier to find.

I originally dreamt up this project about a month ago, but in my cheapness I am only getting to it now. I was actually waiting for Progresso canned soups to go on sale but sadly they never did. Does no one drink soup in the summer? I wasn’t about to pay close to $3 for each can, no way. So I finally broke down and bought cans of beans (which happened to be on sale) and one can of yummy olives. They’re not as large as the Progresso cans, but they’ll do.

Ok, I know I didn’t use soup cans I used bean cans instead. But ‘Soup Can’ Pencil Holders sounded much better in the title.

Hanging Soup Can Pencil Holders

You’re gonna need:

Food cans (veggie, soup, bean etc)

Maps

Burlap

Dollar store frame with glass or mirror

White glue

Hot glue

Instructions:

1. Remove the glass from the frame and trace & cut the burlap the same size as the glass. Make sure to align the burlap strands with the glass, so the whole thing looks straight.

Glue the burlap (using regular white glue to the glass). Make sure you use a lot of glue, you want the burlap to really stick to the glass. Don’t worry if the glue bleeds through the front of the burlap, it will dry clear.

I had a mirror so I glued it to the back side of the mirror. The burlap is kinda see through and I didn’t want the mirror showing through.

2. Paint the frame if you like. Originally my frame was black, I painted it white to match the white in the maps.

3. Measure and cut strips of map, that will go over the cans. When you peel the label off the cans don’t bother removing the glue residue that’s left behind. This will help hold your map strips to the cans. Use tape to adhere the map strips to the cans.

Since all my cans are the same size, I just measured and cut one map and then used it as a template to cut the other two. BTW, I got my maps from an outdated road atlas I had from 2009. Which is actually the last atlas we bought. Jeez, time to get a new atlas!

Once the glue on the burlap is dry slip it back into the frame. Then use hot glue (I used a lot) to adhere the soup can pencil holders to the burlap.

Hang the whole thing up with the frame’s hook to save some space on your desk.

Now I just gotta remember to put the pens back after I use them, but that’s another story.

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